


New Bad Habit

by taitofan



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Present Tense, References to Addiction, Romance, Slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-08-30 13:50:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8535625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taitofan/pseuds/taitofan
Summary: Grimsley knows he has a problem, but his plan to lock himself away in the league to get over it isn't going over well with Alder.  Being forced to attend a meeting with other Elites around the globe might just be the thing he needs.  Or, at least, meeting Will might be.





	1. Attraction

Grimsley doesn’t particularly like leaving the Unova Pokémon League.  Sometimes, he truly _hates_ having to go out and try to prove himself something he’s not, chasing after wealth his family lost and he’s never getting back.  He’s not naïve; he knows that he has a problem.  He also knows that’s exactly the reason Alder makes him the representative in this little get-together among elites.

One representative per league, trading ideas and building relations, and everyone knows that Marshal or Shauntal would be the better choice for rubbing elbows with the other regions.  His opinion is ignored; he’s going, forced to stop remaining cooped up in the League, and Grimsley can’t bring himself to disobey Alder anymore now than he could when he so badly wanted to fight against Team Plasma.

It’s funny, he thinks, that a gambling addiction ultimately leads him to a conference room in a swanky Kalos hotel with a group of colorful characters.  He doesn’t know anyone there, but the Hoenn rep—a cheerful girl named Phoebe—suggested the little name tags they all wear.  It’s a little clichéd— _Hello, my name is XXX!_ —but it gets the job done.

The Kalos rep—Wikstrom, the sticker says—is going on about something, using words Grimsley is sure haven’t been in the popular vernacular in a century.  Despite his best efforts, Grimsley can’t pay attention to what Wikstrom is saying.  It’s amazing he can focus on anything, really, considering the sight that’s sitting across the table from him.

Maybe it’s the clothes, befitting a stage magician.  Maybe it’s the mask, and the mystery of what lies beneath it.  Maybe it’s that rich voice, the only one Grimsley has been able to pay attention to for the past few hours.  Maybe it’s those hips, shapely and begging to be touched, making Grimsley long to see the beauty before him stand up again…

It’s all of those things, really, that make Will by far the most interesting thing in the room.

Grimsley has a hard time looking away, and he knows Will has caught him staring more than once.  He isn’t sure if Will appreciates the attention or not, but if nothing else, the fact remains that Will hasn’t kicked him under the table or thrown water in his face.  The odds are in his favor.

“Alright everyone, let’s take a short break and reconvene in half an hour.”

Everyone agrees with Bertha, the Sinnoh rep, and while others linger, Grimsley wastes no time leaving the room.  He briskly walks down the hall to the elevators, and he waits.  He knows he has a problem, and that’s why he can’t stop himself from running odds through his mind.  4:1, he thinks.  Not the greatest, but it’s doable.

He’s rewarded when Will shows up and stops next to him.  Grimsley smiles and hits the down button.

\---

“You’ve been staring.”  Will’s tone isn’t upset, per se, but it’s hardly welcoming.  “Why?”

If Grimsley were a gambling man— _and he is_ —he’d hazard a guess that Will doesn’t get hit on enough for as attractive as he is.  Insecurity—that’s his bet for the mask.  Of course, his luck isn’t the best, he knows, and it’s entirely possible that the mask is simply there for the magician aesthetic and nothing else.  Still, he sticks with his gut.  At least money isn’t on the line for once, but he really doesn’t want to leave Kalos without Will’s number.

“Why _wouldn’t_ I want to look at the most attractive person in the room?” he all but purrs, glad that no one on the streets outside the hotel are paying attention to them, because he doesn’t want to share the delicious view of Will’s flushed face with anyone else.  “Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of interesting people up there, and some _are_ quite lovely, but I feel as if I should personally write your champion a thank you card for sending _you_ to represent the Indigo League.”

They don’t have a long time outside, but when they head back in, their numbers are in each other’s phones, and for the rest of the conference, Grimsley finds his staring met with a smile.

\---

“Tell me,” Will asks, his tone teasing, “did you learn anything from yesterday’s meeting, or did you just look at me the whole time?”

Grimsley shrugs and takes a sip of the coffee he really doesn’t have the money for.  It’s far too overpriced, and isn’t even that great, but he can hardly let Will know that the nice paycheck they get from their leagues was blown at the casino the day after he got it.  He’ll win one day, and it will change everything, and—

‘ _Stop_ ,’ he thinks.  ‘ _Just stop.  Not now_.’

His plane is leaving for Unova in a few hours, but for the moment he has Will in a nice little café outside their hotel.  Will’s response to the impromptu date was a kind laugh and “ _That sounds pleasant_.”  Grimsley isn’t about to ruin this with his self-pity.

“I learned that the Indigo League is finally revamping their building so their handsome psychic master has a room befitting his theme rather than the ice palace he’s had the past year.”

At the flattery, Will laughs softly, shaking his head with a smile on his face.

“Do you remember anything that anyone _but_ me said?”

“No, not particularly,” he admits easily, not at all bothered about the consequences.  Alder knew what he was getting into when he forced Grimsley to attend.  “Alder and the others will just have to hear all about the charming man I managed to wine and dine in less than twenty-four hours.”  Will mutters about cake and coffee not being wine and dinner, but he’s still smiling.  Grimsley is too, until it suddenly hits him how long it’s been since he’d felt as good as he does now.  “…You _will_ call, won’t you?”

Will pauses, his fork almost to his mouth, and he frowns as he sets it back on his plate.

“Have I given you any indication that I _won’t_?”  Grimsley knows that he hasn’t, but he’s spared from admitting it when Will reaches across the table and places his hand on Grimsley’s, squeezing it gently.  “I’d really like to get to know you better.  We won’t get to see each other often, but if we can manage to make something of this, I’d like that.  So I’ll call you when I have the time, and I expect you to do the same.  Are we in agreement?”

Grimsley is taken aback for but a moment before he relaxes and chuckles, moving his hand so that Will’s fingers thread with his.

“Yes, of course.”

\---

“…Did you pay attention to literally _anything_ that doesn’t relate to the Indigo Plateau?”

“Don’t give him _that_ much credit.  He didn’t pay attention to anything that doesn’t have to do with that Will guy.”

Grimsley pointedly ignores Caitlin and Marshal, smirking as he sees Shauntal writing furiously in her notepad.  He wants to read whatever crazy fantasy she’s penning when she finishes.

“Need a detailed description?” he asks quietly.  She nods readily, giving him a looks he’s come to realize means ‘ _You’re giving me all the juicy details once we’re alone_.’  He doesn’t have anything _juicy_ yet, but he hopes it’s coming.  Louder, to stop the others from complaining, he continues, “ _That Will guy_ was kind enough to text me his notes, so _do_ calm down.  Alder is perfectly content with the trip’s outcome, and you two should be too.”

They quiet down, and he can tell by the looks on their faces that they think it was a wasted trip.  He can’t disagree more, of course, not when he finally has some hope that things can change.  That he can truly be contented one day.  Perhaps it’s nothing but infatuation that will quickly fade now that they’re on opposite sides of the globe.  But then again, maybe it will all work out.  Maybe happiness is within his grasp this time.

He tentatively puts the odds at 3:1.  He’s played against worst; he’ll take it.


	2. Romance

When Will gets back from Kalos, he tells everyone about the conference.  He doesn’t mention Grimsley at all, and he certainly doesn’t mention their little coffee date.  After all, what can he say?  A sinfully handsome man flirted with him and bought him cake?  Is he to admit they exchanged numbers and he sincerely wants to keep in touch?  How is he supposed to tell them any of that when he knows they’ll only be concerned that he’s on the rebound?

Barely anyone had even known that he’d been dating one of the Sinnoh-Johto Frontier Brains, but he knows that Lance and his fellow Elites are well aware that they broke up a mere three weeks ago.  Three years he’d been with Thorton, and in less than a month Will finds himself wanting to know more about Grimsley.  He tries to push away the guilt, but it’s hard.

Will texts Grimsley his notes as soon as he’s alone, grinning like a fool when he receives an excessive amount of heart emojis as a reply.  He knows this feeling in his chest, and he sighs, knowing what he has to do.  He dials an all too familiar number.

“Hello Will.”

The video display is on, and it takes less than five seconds for all of Will’s guilt to fly out the proverbial window.  He smiles at the sight, confident that though they might not be dating anymore, he doesn’t have to worry about his attraction to Grimsley ruining their friendship.

“Good afternoon, Thorton.  Am I interrupting?”  Clearly, he is.  Thorton and the blue-haired man with him are both shirtless, and the latter is flushed, hissing at Thorton for taking the call at such an inappropriate time.  The man looks familiar, yet Will can’t quite place him.  Regardless, he empathizes with the stranger—Thorton’s sense of priority isn’t always the best.  “Perhaps I should call back.”

“No, it’s fine.  I wanted you to meet Saturn anyway.”  He pulls the reluctant man close, not letting him scramble away.  Saturn looks like an angry Glameow.  “Will, this is Saturn, head of Team Galactic.  Saturn, meet Will of the Indigo Plateau’s Elite Four.”

It clicks—Team Galactic is the company researching alternative energy sources in Sinnoh.  Rumor has it that the last boss hadn’t exactly run the company on the up-and-up, but plenty of ex-employees had been arrested, and Saturn obviously isn’t among them.  Will can’t know for certain if Saturn is free of blame, but Thorton trusts him, and Will trusts Thorton.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Saturn.”  He means it, he really does.  He’s glad Thorton is no more inclined to live in the past than he is.  “How long have you two been seeing each other?”

“Two weeks.”  Saturn looks mortified at the casual admission, and Will tries his best not to laugh.  “We actually met the day after you and I broke up, though.”

“ _Thorton_.”

“Remind me to tell you later about how Saturn didn’t believe me when I told him we had a ninety-six percent chance of dating by the time the week was through.”

“Thorton!”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Will laughs, knowing the story is better heard when Saturn isn’t around to be embarrassed by the fact that his current boyfriend is telling the tale to his ex.  He’ll wait until Saturn is more comfortable around him before he joins in on the teasing.  “Now, back to the reason I called you.  Have you ever heard of a man named Grimsley, of Unova’s Elite Four?”

“Well, I’m pretty sure his name came up when Caitlin left for Unova, but give me a moment…”  Thorton pulls up something on his phone, no doubt information on the Elite in question.  Will almost blushes when Thorton lets out a whistle and gives him a knowing look.  “I’m not the only one with a new beau, I take it?  He’s certainly easy on the eyes…  The gambler theme fits him.  Hmm, yes, I approve.”

Even Saturn looks a little awed by whatever picture of Grimsley they can see that he can’t.  Pride swells in him; _he’s_ met Grimsley.  _He’s_ got Grimsley’s number.  _He’s_ the one Grimsley has flirted with.

“Thank you, but I wouldn’t say we’re _beaus_.  We aren’t dating.”  Thorton gives him a look that clearly asks “ _Why not?”_   It’s a good question, he admits.  “We did go on a small date after the conference we both just attended in Kalos, and we did exchange numbers, but he isn’t my boyfriend or anything of the sort.  We’ve known each other for all of a few hours.”

“This is dating we’re talking about, not marriage.”

“…I suppose I don’t really have a reason _not_ to date him.  If he’s willing to have a long-distance relationship, I’m certainly not opposed.”  Plus, the fact remains that while Thorton hadn’t cared if the other Elites and Brains knew of their relationship, he’d never been comfortable going completely public.  With the years he has on Thorton, he understands.  But he and Grimsley are the same age, and Grimsley hadn’t shied away from flirting in public.  Having a lover he can be open with is a thing he craves.  “I’ll call you back later.”

“Good luck bagging your man,” Thorton says with a smirk before abruptly ending the call.

Will laughs, knowing that Thorton has his own man to attend to.  And he has another call to make.

“Hello—oh, Will.”  Grimsley looks surprised for but a moment, before a seductive smirk settles in.  “Miss me already?”

“Yes.”  There’s another crack in Grimsley’s demeanor.  “Forgive my bluntness.  I simply don’t see a point in being coy.”

“Yes, of course, of course.”  Grimsley is good at bluffing, Will gives him that.  Not good enough to fool a stage magician though.  He can tell Grimsley isn’t as calm as he’s trying to appear.  How many relationships has he been in?  “I’m glad you didn’t waste any time in calling me.  It’s just a pity I can only see your handsome face over the phone.  I’ll just have to make do.”

“It’s the slow season, you know.”  Grimsley’s obviously trying not to look confused; he’s failing.  It’s ridiculously endearing.  “At the Indigo Plateau.  We don’t get many challengers this time of year.  And when we first learn someone is at the badge gate, we still have hours before they’ll reach the league, let alone want to challenge us.”

Grimsley seems to finally get the implication, if his not-well-hidden flush is any indication.

“If that’s your desire, far be it for me to turn you down.  I’ll welcome you to Unova anytime.  The thought of our second date is rather exciting, don’t you think?”  Will nods, but he doesn’t miss the fact that despite his words, Grimsley still looks hesitant.  “It’s quite slow in Unova too, and challengers rarely come to me first anyway.  When should I expect your company?”

Will almost says _tomorrow_ just to see how Grimsley will react, but he decides not to tease _too much_.

“Assuming no challengers make it to me, let’s say next weekend?  I’ll call if something prevents my departure.”

“…That works splendidly.”

Now he seems relieved, and Will can only hazard a guess as to why.  If the Unova League is anything like the Indigo League, they’ll be paid again by that point, but Grimsley doesn’t appear to be hurting for money.  Of course, Grimsley _is_ a gambler, and Will already knows he’s willing and able to bluff his way through this little attraction they share.  There’s something odd going on, but Will decides not to push it.  _Yet_.

“I’m very glad to hear it.  I _do_ so want to see you again.”  Grimsley’s smile appears completely genuine at his admission, and Will can’t help but follow suit.  “Now, onto other matters.  Tell me, how did your fellow Elites take your recount of the conference?”

Grimsley, now visibly relaxed, launches into a vivid explanation of two upset coworkers, a fangirl, and a very amused champion.  Will’s fond smiles never once leaves his face as he listens.

\---

Will opts to fly out from Johto at the earliest opportunity, wishing to have as much time in Unova as he can in case the league calls him back quickly.  He isn’t worried; he’ll be informed in anyone reaches the first gate, and it will take a challenger the better part of a day to reach the last gate.  He’ll have plenty of time to get back in such a case, though he hopes no one interrupts him.  He’s almost giddy at the thought of seeing Grimsley again.

He arrives in a quaint location known as Mistralton City, and he has someone waiting for him.

“Will, welcome to Unova.  I do hope you’ll enjoy your stay.”

Grimsley takes his hand and presses a kiss to the back of it; Will grabs his hand before he can take it back and kisses his knuckles.  Grimsley looks surprised and slightly flushed, as if he’s never had such a thing done to him.  As if he’s fine with flirting, but being flirted with is a foreign concept.  _My_ , Will thinks, _how full of surprises he is_!

“I assure you, if I’m with _you_ , I certainly will.”  He lowers their hands, though he doesn’t let go of Grimsley’s, and Grimsley makes no move to do any differently.  “Well then, lead the way.”

\---

It takes a few hours of Grimsley touring him around before Will senses that Grimsley finally relaxes.  They’re having lunch at a small café—just as charming as the one back in Kalos, but far less expensive—when Will can no longer contain his curiosity.

“Not to sound as if it bothers me—because it doesn’t, I assure you—but I’m quite intrigued by your behavior around me.  You flush at the smallest bit of affection I give you, yet the waitress acted as if she wanted to throw herself at you and you barely reacted.  I cannot imagine I’m _that_ enticing.”

Grimsley sighs and doesn’t respond for several long moments, though he thankfully doesn’t look upset.

“...Women don’t interest me.”  Will nods—that seems fairly obvious.  “That might not come as a surprise to _you_ , but it’s not common knowledge around here.  It’s not a secret, mind you, but everyone just _assumes_ things, and I’ve never had a reason to correct them.  But I suppose you could say that I’ve found my reason.  I found _you_ , and this is all rather new to me.  I’ve played at being a lady-killer when I had no interest in it, but I don’t want to pretend anymore.  I’m not sure I even _could_.  I do hope you’re ready to take responsibility for that, because we’re going to be in all of the gossip columns tomorrow.”

Will goes from being touched to the admission to laughing lightly at the teasing tone that Grimsley ends with.  Will nods, taking note of all the people who can see them, but cannot hear them.  He’s filled with a desire to change that.  All of these women who want Grimsley—he wants them to know.  He wants them to hate him for taking Grimsley off the market.

“My dear, I’m honored that you’re willing to have everyone know the truth because of me.  I’m aware I’m not the kind of man who inspires men to bare their secrets—”

“You _are_ ,” Grimsley insists, leaning over and taking Will’s hand in his own.  If anyone isn’t sure if this is a date or not, they surely do now.  He’s sure he hears pictures being snapped in the distance.  “I’ve gambled on many things in the past, and I’ve regretted more than my fair share.  But you…  I’ll bet everything I own on _you_.”  Will feels the color coming to his face when Grimsley adds in a low murmur, “I think that sounds saccharine enough to get us on the front page, don’t you?”

_Oh_ , he thinks gleefully, _how very delightful_!

“If it doesn’t, I’ll help us along.”  He suppresses a grin and stands up, taking Grimsley along with him.  His heart swells at the look of mischief in Grimsley’s eyes.  Will is an Elite trainer _and_ a stage magician—it’s no secret that he loves the spotlight.  It isn’t hard to give the crowd a good show now that he’s finally found someone who shares that sentiment.  He lets go of one of Grimsley’s hands, only to bring it up to brush his cheek instead.  “Darling, some say that there’s no greater magic in this world than love, and when I’m with you, all I see are sparks.  I do hope you’ll forgive my boldness, but I implore you—do me the honor of being mine, and I shall be yours in return.”

“Cheesy,” Grimsley whispers, leaning in.

“I know.”

Neither stops the inevitable kiss.

Grimsley is much more aggressive than Thorton was, and Will shivers at the passion in their simple, closed mouth kiss.  The whole situation is contrived, yes, but only to an extent.  Will doesn’t _love_ Grimsley—he doesn’t know him well enough to claim such a thing—but the physical and emotional attractions are there, and Will doesn’t need to be a psychic to envision a future with this man.  He _likes_ Grimsley; he _wants_ to love Grimsley.

“I’ll be yours,” Grimsley mumbles into Will’s lips when neither is inclined to pull away, “if you really mean that.”

“Please, believe me when I say that I’ve never meant anything more in my entire life.”

It isn’t part of the act, and Grimsley smiles in a manner that shows he understands that.  They kiss again, onlookers take more pictures, and Will and Grimsley’s second date marks the day they officially start _dating_.


End file.
